United Explorer Card overview: Full particulars

The United℠ Explorer Card is not your common airline bank card. It is filled with premium perks resembling an up-to-$100 International Entry or TSA PreCheck utility payment assertion credit score, two annual one-time lounge passes and free checked luggage — simply justifying its modest $95 annual payment (which is waived for the primary yr). Card ranking*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

*Card ranking relies on the opinion of TPG’s editors and isn’t influenced by the cardboard issuer.

Except for the standard airline bank card perks like free checked luggage and precedence boarding, the United Explorer presents some premium-level advantages, together with a pair of annual one-time United Membership passes, a International Entry or TSA PreCheck utility payment credit score and wonderful journey protections.

Here is what it is advisable to know concerning the card and its advantages.

The advisable credit score rating for the United Explorer is not less than 670, nevertheless it’s not unparalleled to be accredited with a decrease rating.

New candidates for the United Explorer Card will earn a welcome bonus of fifty,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months after account opening. The annual payment is waived for the primary yr; after that, cardholders can pay $95 every year.

These 50,000 bonus miles are value $650, primarily based on TPG’s October 2024 valuations.

In the event you’re questioning the right way to get essentially the most worth out of those miles, learn up on United candy spot redemptions. New cardholders can even get a further 5,000 bonus miles after including a certified consumer to their account inside the first three months of account opening.

The United Explorer Card presents a great mixture of perks for each frequent and occasional United flyers:

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Free first checked bag

Get your first checked bag free on United-operated flights for you and one companion on the identical reservation. A primary checked bag normally prices $40 every means, so this profit can prevent as a lot as $160 round-trip.

It’s essential to embrace your MileagePlus quantity in your reservation and pay for the flight with the Explorer Card to obtain this profit — which incorporates simply utilizing the cardboard for taxes and charges on an award ticket. In the event you full your flight within the first 90 days of account opening, the requirement to buy your ticket along with your United Explorer card is waived.

Two one-time United Membership passes

Obtain a pair of one-time United Membership passes deposited into your MileagePlus account every year of card membership. This profit alone is value $118 per yr, as day passes on the lounge price $59 every with a same-day boarding cross.

One TPG reader finds that the United Explorer Card is effectively value it for these first two advantages alone:

“In the event you deliver a companion and so they test their bag each methods you have greater than exceeded the annual payment earlier than you even think about the truth that you additionally get 2 United Membership one time passes every year.” — Naveen Krishnamurthy through Fb

Word: Reader-submitted responses haven’t been edited, reviewed or accredited by the issuers nor mirror TPG’s opinions of those playing cards.

TPG bank cards author Olivia Mittak additionally finds nice worth within the United Membership passes this card supplies; so long as she flies with United, a Star Alliance airline or one other United associate airline twice a yr, she will get constructive worth out of the annual payment.

If getting free checked luggage and a pair of United Membership passes would elevate your journey expertise with the airline, this card holds loads of worth.

Precedence boarding

While you embrace your MileagePlus quantity, you and your companions touring on the identical reservation will get Group 2 boarding. This implies you board after Premier 1K, Premier Platinum, Premier Gold and Star Alliance Gold members and people seated in United Polaris, firstclass and enterprise class, however earlier than a lot of the different passengers in financial system with out elite standing.

That is particularly precious for individuals who purchase primary financial system tickets. You will even be excluded from the carry-on baggage restrictions, so it would be best to get on the airplane whereas overhead area is out there.

Expanded award availability

As a cardholder, you will have further entry to e book United award tickets — even when it is the final seat on the airplane — and might even see financial system award seats requiring fewer miles if you log in to your MileagePlus account than members with out the cardboard.

Elite standing shortcuts

United elite standing qualification relies on Premier qualifying factors (PQPs) and Premier Qualifying Flights (PQFs). You will earn 25 PQPs for each $500 you spend on purchases along with your Explorer Card (as much as 1,000 PQPs in a calendar yr) that may be utilized towards your Premier standing qualification — however solely as much as the Premier 1K degree.

25% inflight financial savings

Obtain 25% off inflight United purchases when utilizing your card, together with on Wi-Fi, meals and drinks.

DoorDash

Get complimentary DashPass for one yr to obtain limitless deliveries by way of DoorDash and Caviar with $0 supply charges and decrease service charges on eligible orders. It’s essential to enroll by Dec. 31 to obtain this profit.

Incomes miles with the United Explorer

As a cardholder, you will earn 7 miles per greenback on United flights and 4 miles per greenback on United Resorts in case you are a MileagePlus member.

You will additionally earn 2 miles per greenback on all different United purchases, different resort stays and eating, plus 1 mile per greenback on all the pieces else.

Whereas the bonus for cobranded airline purchases is fairly commonplace, it is good that the cardboard additionally presents bonuses on sure forms of on a regular basis spending, which many different airline playing cards do not present.

Nevertheless, there are lots of different choices to higher maximize your eating and resort spending.

Associated: My prime 3 picks for the most effective cobranded resort bank card

You possibly can redeem your MileagePlus miles throughout United’s huge community of home and worldwide routes in addition to on the service’s Star Alliance and different airline companions.

United makes use of a dynamic pricing construction by itself flights, so the worth of your miles will range when redeeming for United awards. Home awards in financial system usually begin at simply 5,000 miles one-way, however we have seen gross sales with tickets as little as 3,900 miles.

Associated: Find out how to unlock further award availability with United Airways

To squeeze even extra worth out of your miles, you may need to make the most of United’s Excursionist Perk. Principally, it lets you add a free flight phase to qualifying round-trip itineraries between two totally different areas at no further price.

I like to recommend avoiding non-flight redemptions along with your United miles, resembling resort stays or merchandise, as they have a tendency to supply a poor worth proposition.

There are a selection of playing cards which are aggressive with the United Explorer:

• In order for you a premium United expertise: The United Membership℠ Infinite Card is the perfect card for United lounge entry — bar none. For any loyal United flyer who spends important cash with the airline every year, this card would make an awesome addition to your pockets. To study extra, learn our full overview of the United Membership Infinite.
• In order for you a extra all-around card: The Chase Sapphire Most well-liked® Card is likely one of the best-known journey rewards bank cards, providing 5 factors per greenback on journey booked by way of Chase Journey℠ and on Lyft purchases (Lyft by way of March 2025), 3 factors per greenback on eating, choose streaming companies and on-line grocery retailer purchases (excluding Goal, Walmart and wholesale golf equipment), 2 factors per greenback on all different journey purchases and 1 level per greenback on all the pieces else. To study extra, learn our full overview of the Sapphire Most well-liked.
• In order for you tons of perks: The Platinum Card® from American Categorical is likely one of the prime premium journey rewards playing cards. As a cardmember, you will earn precious Membership Rewards factors, quite a few annual assertion credit and entry to an intensive community of airport lounges worldwide. For extra info, learn our full overview of the Amex Platinum.

For added choices, take a look at our full listing of the finest United journey playing cards and the finest airline playing cards.

Associated: Is the United Membership Infinite Card annual payment value it?

Apply right here: United Explorer Card

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